Stock Market & Financial Investment News

Facebook not ready for small businesses to use video ads, Re/code saysFacebook isn't ready yet to allow small businesses to buy video ads on the social network, Re/code indicated. Instead, Facebook is working only with major brands on video ads, Re/code stated. Reference Link

Facebook July weekly volatility increasing into Q2 and outlook Facebook 7/31/15 weekly call option implied volatility is at 60, August is at 40, September is at 34; compared to its 52-week range of 19 to 48, suggesting large near term price movement into the expected release of Q2 results on July 29.

Sell PayPal amid mounting payments competition, Piper saysShares of PayPal (PYPL) advanced over 5% yesterday in the stock's first day of trading following a split from eBay (EBAY), with the majority of research firms issuing optimistic notes on its prospects. This morning, however, analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray recommends selling the share as competition grows in the digital payments space. BEARS: Munster started shares of PayPal with an Underweight rating, the firm's equivalent of a "Sell," saying increased competition could pressure the stock's multiple over the next 6-24 months. Google's (GOOG) Android Pay and Apple's (AAPL) Apple Pay will give consumers a "real alternative to PayPal" for the first time, Munster tells investors in his research note. In addition, interest in payments from Amazon.com (AMZN) and Facebook (FB) bring potential for more digital wallet offerings, the analyst notes. Munster set a $30 price target for PayPal. Of note, Evercore ISI also started coverage of PayPal shares yesterday with a Sell rating. BULLS: Wells Fargo initiated coverage of PayPal yesterday with an Outperform rating, saying the company's unique assets will enable it to maintain its leadership role in digital payments and benefit from the growth of e-commerce. Also upbeat was Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian, who contends that PayPal has the top pure play online payment system and is continuing to grow its share of the Internet payment market. PayPal should be able to innovate more effectively after its spin-off, added the analyst, who set a $45 price target on the shares. PRICE ACTION: Shares of PayPal are pointing toward further gains in their second day of standalone trading, with the stock up about 2.7% to $41.55 in pre-market trading.

PayPal initiated with an Underweight at Piper JaffrayPiper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster started shares of PayPal (PYPL) with an Underweight rating saying increased competition could pressure the stock's multiple over the next 6-24 months. Underweight is Piper's equivalent of a sell rating. Google's (GOOG) Android Pay and Apple's (AAPL) Apple Pay will give consumers a "real alternative to PayPal" for the first time, Munster tells investors in a research note. In addition, interest in payments from Amazon.com (AMZN) and Facebook (FB) bring potential for more digital wallet offerings, the analyst notes. Munster set a $30 price target for PayPal, which began trading yesterday following a spinoff from parent company eBay (EBAY). Shares of the online payment system closed Monday up $2.08 to $40.47.

Facebook July weekly volatility increasing into Q2 and outlook Facebook 7/31/15 weekly call option implied volatility is at 53, August is at 38, September is at 33; compared to its 52-week range of 19 to 48, suggesting large near term price movement into the expected release of Q2 results on July 29.

Facebook price target raised to $117 at BTIG on video opportunityBTIG analyst Richard Greenfield believes Facebook can exceed consensus estimates, citing higher confidence in the company's video advertising opportunity. Greenfield, who raised his revenue estimates for Facebook in this year and next, also points out Instagram's monetization opportunity and the platform potential of WhatsApp and Messenger. The analyst raised his price target on Facebook to $117 from a "stale" target of $80 that had been set in July of last year and reiterates a Buy rating on the social network's stock, which closed at $94.97 on Friday.